Violence at hospitals is on the rise. According to a recent American Society for Health Care Engineering survey, over half of hospitals reported an increase in violence. Emergency rooms saw the largest uptick in violent behavior. In addition, unhinged individuals enter medical facilities bent on doing harm to a patient or employee. Theft is also a big problem. Unscrupulous individuals attempt to steal narcotics to sell or use. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities must not only provide care for its patients but also protect visitors, employees and patients from harm.
Risk Assessment
Medical facilities should conduct regular risk assessments to determine potential security vulnerabilities and then act upon those findings. Access Patrol Services can not only provide experienced and licensed guards trained for the security requirements of medical facilities, but our management team can assist in reviewing current security measures.
Visitor Access
APS healthcare facility security guards are often posted in emergency room waiting areas. Besides keeping the location free of inappropriate or dangerous activity, they help injured parties and families with check-in and alert medical staff if an individual needs immediate aid. They are located inside ER units and at hospital/medical facility entries to ensure only verified visitors are allowed to enter and that all staff, patients and visitors are safe. At some hospitals, they are stationed at metal detector/bag-check locations to prevent illegal items in the facility.
Emergency Plan
Hospitals have been the site of gas leaks, fires, natural disasters and violent behavior. Security guard personnel play an integral part in a medical facility’s emergency plans. If evacuation is required, hospital guards are at the forefront, leading patients, visitors and employees to safety.
When hiring a security company to provide security guard services to your facility, look for these attributes:
Proven track record in medical facility security
Friendly, reliable security staff with strong communication skills
Mediation skills—to defuse volatile situations
24/7 monitoring that includes parking lot/structure security, in-facility security, perimeter patrol
Security camera monitoring
Security guard GPS tracking so supervisors know where their guards are at all times
Our experienced, reliable hospital security guards and our management team at Access Patrol Services understand the unique security issues associated with medical facilities. It is our goal to provide the most comprehensive security services for your site.